New to Commons: More Rewards for Your Sustainable Life

Sustainable practices like taking public transit, composting, and shopping from climate-friendly brands are really beneficial for lowering our carbon footprints. Commons gives you the opportunity to cash in for all these sustainable lifestyle choices, and more. 

We're excited to announce big improvements to our rewards program with dozens of new ways to earn for climate-friendly purchases and everyday sustainable practices. We’ve also added achievement badges that you can collect throughout your sustainable journey!

Earn Seeds, Get Rewards

Commons’ mission is to empower folks to use their spending choices to create a lower-carbon world. As you plant seeds for a green economy, you earn seeds in the Commons app. 

Once you hit 500 seeds, you can redeem those seeds for cash or earn 2x when you use your rewards to fund vetted climate solutions. 

There are many ways to start earning seeds:

• Make climate-friendly purchases: Earn seeds for over 50k everyday, climate-friendly purchases.
• Take climate actions: Earn seeds as you complete Commons’ guided, practical actions.
• Collect achievements: Rack up achievement badges as you build your sustainable lifestyle.
• Fund climate solutions: Compensate for your emissions with an offset subscription or one-time offsets for flights or gifts.
• Start tracking your carbon footprint: Earn seeds when you start tracking the real-time carbon footprint of your purchases. 

Spending Sustainably with Climate-Friendly Brands

When we buy less and buy better, we build a low-carbon economy, that’s why Commons rewards you for every purchase from over 50k climate-friendly brands: 

• Brands that help you buy less: Brands like tailors, refill stores, and composting services save us from creating excess waste and buying more than we need. 
• Brands that help you buy better: Low-carbon transportation, plant-based food, and secondhand goods generate less emissions than alternatives. Climate Neutral Certified brands also have a lower carbon impact, and you can find hundreds of them in the Commons brand directory.

Once you connect your cards to Commons, you can not only start earning seeds for every climate-friendly purchase, but you can also start tracking your real-time carbon footprint, see how your footprint compares to others’, and get personalized recommendations for sustainable brands and lifestyle choices. 

While our algorithm identifies thousands of climate-friendly brands, purchases from local sustainable brands (like thrifts stores, tailors, or plant-based restaurants) may not be identified the first time. We recommend reviewing your purchases every week or so to make sure your transactions are correctly categorized so you get credit for all your climate-friendly purchases. 

Collect Achievements for Every Sustainable Milestone

As part of the new rewards experience, you not only earn seeds, you also earn achievement badges as you build your sustainable life with Commons. 

As you collect badges, they’ll show up on your profile, and you’ll earn more seeds for each new achievement. Get achievement badges for climate-friendly purchases, completed climate actions, or offset purchases. 

Earn these Sustainable Lifestyle badges when you make a series of qualifying purchases:

• Public Transit Commuter: Earn for public transit purchases.
• Local Farm Supporter: Earn for farmers market purchases.
• EV Pioneer: Earn for EV charging purchases.
• Renewable Home Dweller: Earn for renewable home energy purchases.
• Climate Neutral Shopper: Earn for purchases from hundreds of Climate Neutral brands in the Commons Brand Directory. 
• Plant-Based Foodie: Earn for purchases at vegetarian or vegan restaurants.
• Two-Wheeled Traveler: Earn for bike and scooter rentals.
• Package-free shopper: Earn for purchases at zero-waste or refill stores.
• Seasoned thrifter: Earn for vintage or secondhand purchases.
• Green Philanthropist: Earn for donations to climate or environmental nonprofits and organizations.

Earn Climate Action badges when you complete Climate Actions and hit milestones in your sustainability journey:

• Footprint tracking: Start tracking the real-time footprint of your purchases.
• Lifestyle survey: Complete this survey for a more accurate carbon footprint.
• First Climate Action: Complete your first Climate Action.
• Go Climate Neutral: Compensate for your emissions with a monthly offset subscription.
• Offset A Flight: Compensate for the emissions of a flight by funding vetted climate solutions.
• Eco-Friendly Laundry: Complete the Eco-friendly Laundry action to save energy and reduce microplastics.
• Start Composting: Complete the Composting action to divert waste from landfills.
• Secondhand Furniture & Decor: Complete the Secondhand Furniture & Decor action to support the circular economy and divert waste from landfills. 
• Skip a Flight: Choose ground transportation to avoid airline emissions and support better mass transit infrastructure. 
• Book More Efficient Flights: Choose lower-carbon flights to lower your flight emissions. 
• Green Your Bank: Switch your money to a bank that doesn’t fund fossil fuels.
• Eat Local & Seasonal: Shop at local farmers markets and co-ops to reduce food miles and support local farmers and biodiversity.
• Switch To Renewable Energy: Choose renewable energy for your home to avoid funding fossil fuels.

Planting Seeds for a Greener Economy

It can be hard to live sustainably in an unsustainable world. Commons makes it easier. In 2023, Commons users reduced their footprints by an average of 19%. And now with more rewards opportunities, there are more ways to understand your climate impact as you plant seeds for a greener economy. 

Join tens of thousands of people using Commons to earn rewards for their sustainable lifestyles.